Protecting helmet



May 10, 1949. c. E. BOWERS PROTECTING HELMET 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 8, 1945 INVENTOR. 6HA2LE5 EV4N5 5 014/525 H76 ATTOE'NEY y 1949- 'c. E. BOWERS 69,

PROTECTING HELMET Filed Nov. 8, 1945 v Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. CH4 EL 55 Emma 601M556 H15 ATTOZNEV.

Patented May 10, 1949 NITED-,1: .VS'IIAIES OFFICE- PROTECT LMEQB Charles Evans Bowers, Moylan, Pa., assignor to Fibre Metal Prodne'ts Company che ster, Pan

apart'nership" lisetn lfie i mher,8; e-Seem?- ii?' 1-- 5 Clairns (01. 28)

Th-is ipvention relates to proteoting helmets such as'u'sefd in welding to protectthe eyes an faqe from lolin ding are. 1ights spar k spattering b'tt; r "othen rnolqen 'meta1s andaeids, and V, part gl ll arl y relates to .interohangealole devices in o nbinati onvvitrr nelinetslof this type wherein elmetl,may readilype"used.for clifierent e meisa e nia em p i e I relatively small vvindows directly '10 n r n ygi the eyes, wh ghpa hQ gh,t 'pr v tect the' yes and are snfiicient for Welding, itjthe ran e o vi iqn ma eria ly and, t ere e w ien'na w der i p ep rineprc Ls th I fac t be e edn e a ses theh net. to 15 above his head, and even though a v 7d, mayvlqe s 3 u t nt a portion small; shi

Whereas ,the usual weldin helfnetpis adapted forelding its use is restrictedbecau se of the limited vision and itis thereioredesirable'to ex-j' edges ofthe sections may ,be heldhy an over-, in Pa 9? o er o h helm The nsuaLvvindomsuch as provided in Weld-h ing nelrnet s isineorporatedin one of the sections, thereby in aking it "possible to providethe ,usual' welding helmet; another section of tran-sparent 'f material n ay be provided ,whichmay be used in pla of the .s ctiqmlha i g e ei' g' W d w to easethefrangelof vision,'and another seetion oi wire Inesh mav also be. provided; which is parti pgar ly ad ptedlfor arresting molten metal, suck} as babl'itt, afindl also providesprotection against sparks and the'like.

With, these interehang eable sections, the 11sefulness ofjthe helmet isi n'iatieriall y increased and i the naard ordan of inj,ury frorn flying sparks, molten nitall aeids andthe like ismate'rially re-'-" duced beta se wngnfuie' helineti'sfuseii'jor pur- 'crease the us tion, tlii transparent other Welding The r'elativelylarg'e open;

by the ,transparent sheet or screen H be replaced of being ralsed 'to the positi'on abovefthefha re hww i xnqs t h e h rds The objector 't'hisii'ivferition istherefortoin- N v ness of proteet'in'g helmets'fsuchf imes-what y ee la easlap r dif renw a Arie 1'" obgect of this invention is to provide M "interehaneabl'e" "sections adapted tobetsedfirr r the from "or "a Helmet in which en 1 1 means Thedifferent sections such as the welding secshield and the screen, are" ame'siz'e'jso that thefnia e 't rajk, and in place, b hinged'cover'havitig"anover of substantially the lappl i sections slide are positively held.

m nt n 1 r il a. v nterer go l it Y Whip the general contour" and siz elmet Substar'iti 11y the Same 211 "f Another oft ect jcj; t i i of the h hing'ed ebver" are incorporated in Q helmets Qtjfthl; ypevvithoijt increasmg tl i'e'si'ze if Qlififiim th fih l i h i- Y of this invention is to provide Atinffurtnegflobjeet"or this" invention is to R provide; a

f uch' as ari e eorine' utthe above noted t ougms dirnent, vJilYin part be'co ad in h e r. a dja a."

tilon of an r'ivent ion proce'elds'.

tion, and provided with an overlapping flange having a continuous groove therein for receiving the upper edge of the lower portion, said lower portion having a relatively large opening in the front with a track around the edges thereor, a plurality of curved sections adapted to provide closures for the said opening, the edges of which are adapted to be inserted in said track, and headgear, upon which said helmet is pivotally mounted.

For a full and more complete understandin of the invention, reference may be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view showing the side elevation of the helmet with the cover indicated in dash lines in the open position, and also with dash lines indicating one of the interchangeable sections partly raised.

Figure 2 is a view showing a front elevation of the helmet with the cover in the open position and with one of the interchangeable sections partly raised.

Figure 3 is a detail, illustrating one of the sections which is formed of wire screen.

Figure 4 is a detail, showin a section at one side of the helmet, illustrating the pivotal connection between the helmet and headgear.

Figure 5 is a detail, showing a pivotal connection between the body of the helmet, headgear and cover of an alternate type.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts, the lower portion or body of the helmet is indicated by the numeral In, the cover thereof is indicated by the numeral H, and the headband of the headgear by the numeral I2.

The lower portion IE! of the helmet is formed of a relatively semi-circular sheet of material, extending from a lower point iii to an upper point i4, and at the lower end is a depending skirt [5, attached to the lower edge of the portion ill by rivets H5 or any suitable means. In the front of the lower portion It! is an openin l1, extending from a lower point l8 upward to a point l9, providing a band 20 at the forward upper edge, and this opening extends laterally to points substantially midway of the width of the body ID, as indicated by the lines 2! and 22 in Figure 2. This opening may, however, be of any desired size or shape. The track for holding the edges of the interchangeable sections is formed of a clipshaped section and extends downward continuously at each side, providing sections 23 and 24, and across the lower end as shown at the point 25.

The cover II is made as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the lower edge being formed of two separated bands 26 and 21, providing a groove between the bands, which, when the cover is moved downward to the position shown in Figure 1, receives the upper edge, the band 20 of the lower portion, and also an upper edge of one of the interchangeable sections. The bands 26 and 21 are formed with ears 29 and 30, which extend downward over the lower portion I0 and are pivotally mounted thereon through pins 3! and 32, which extend inward as illustrated in Figure 4. The pins 3| and 32 also extend through the outer sections 33 or loops 34 at the ends of a headband 35 of the headgear I2, which extends upward over the head, and on the inner ends of the pins are springs 36, which provide friction in the pivotal connections by which the helmet .may be held in the elevated position above the head. Washers 31 and 38 are provided at the opposite ends of the springs and the washers at the inner endare secured in place by crimping split ends 39 of the pins over as shown in Figure 4.

The band [2 of the headgear is provided with a sweat band 40 at the front and at the rear the ends are split and slidably held in a sleeve 4|, the

two ends of the band being respectively held by the opposite ends of a turnbuckle 42, providing adjustment in the size of the headband.

In the detail illustrated in Figure 5, the lower portion 43 of the helmet is pivotally mounted by a pin 44 on a headband 12 of headgear, and a cover 45, corresponding to the cover H, is pivotally mounted on a pin 4% as shown, thereby separating the point where the cover is mounted on the lower portion from the point where the lower portion is mounted on the headgear. It will be understood that the cover may be pivotally mounted on the same pin through which the body portion is mounted on the headgear, as shown in Figures 1 and 4, or may be mounted at a separate point as indicated in Figure 5.

The interchangeable sections adapted to be used in the helmet, and illustrated herein, are indicated by the numerals 4T, 48 and 49, the section 41 having a relatively small window 58, such as is used in weldin helmets, the section 48 being formed of a transparent material and providing a continuous unobstructed protecting shield, and the section 49 as illustrated in Figure 3 being formed of wire mesh with the edges provided with reenforcing strips 5|. It will be understood that other sections, embodying difierent features and adapted to fit into the same track, may also be used in combination with the helmet to make it adapted for other uses. These interchangeable sections may be slid into the track as illustrated in Figure 2, and when in place, the cover ll of the helmet is closed to the position shown in Figure 1 with the upper edge of the section and also the upper edge of the band 20, passing upward into the groove 28. The cover, lower portion of the helmet, and interchangeable section may then be secured together by a bolt 52, which may have a washer 53 and a nut 54 on the inner end. The sections 41, 48 and 49 are provided with an opening 55, through which the bolt passes, and the bands- 20, 26 and 21 are also provided with registering openings through which the bolt passes.

The construction of the helmet should be readily understood from the foregoing description. Its operation or use should also be obvious, however, the helmet is supplied with the interchangeable sections, and one of the sections may be inserted in the helmet and used, depending upon the use desired. In welding, the section with the usual small window will be used, but if the use subjects the wearer to flying sparks or splattering hot metals, the screen may be substituted, and, if it is desired to use the helmet for cleaning, chipping or dressing welds, the continuous transparent section may be used. In changing from one section to another, it is only necessary to remove a bolt at the upper edge and in the center, and raise the cover. This leaves the upper edge of the section free and it may readily be withdrawn as illustrated in Figure 2. Another section may then be inserted and the cover of the helmet closed.

While a preferred specific embodiment of the invention is hereinbefore set forth, it is to be clearly understood that the invention is not to be limited to the exact construction illustrated and described, because various modifications of these details may be provided in putting the invention into practice within the purview of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A protecting helmet, comprising a face enclosing shield with a relatively large opening in the front thereof, a cover hinged to said shield, headgear upon which said shield and cover are pivotally mounted, and a removable window normally closing the opening in the front of the shield, the upper edge of said window being held by the cover.

2. A protecting helmet, comprising a face enclosing shield with a relatively large opening in the front thereof, a cover hinged to said shield, headgear upon which said shield and cover are pivotally mounted, and a removable window normally closing the opening in the front of the shield, said cover having a slot in the lower edge thereof in which the upper edge of the shield, and also the upper edge of said window is held.

3. A protecting helmet, comprising a shield for substantially enclosing the face of a wearer and having a removable window in the front thereof, a headgear upon which said shield is pivotally mounted, said headgear having a band for extending over the head characterized by loops at the lower ends, the inner sides of which are secured to a head encircling band and the outer sides of which are pivotally attached to the shield, and a head piece pivotally secured on said shield and holding said window in place when closed.

4. A protecting helmet, comprising a shield for substantially enclosing the face of a wearer and having a removable window in the front thereof, a headgear upon which said shield is pivotally mounted, said headgear having a band for extending over the head characterized by loops at the lower ends, the inner sides of which are secured to a head encircling band and the outer sides of which are pivotally attached to the shield, said attaching means comprising pins with springs thereon with the springs held in tension on the pins, and a head piece pivotally mounted on said shield and serving, when closed, to hold said window in place.

'5. A protecting helmet, comprising a face shield with an opening therein extending substantially from the upper edge to the lower edge and to points at the sides substantially midway between the front and the rear, 9, window closing said opening, a cover pivotally mounted on said shield, and headgear upon which said helmet is pivotally mounted, said shield having a track at the sides and lower edge of the opening for holding the edge of the window and said cover having a groove in which the upper edge of the window is held.

' CHARLES EVANS BOWERS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,587,893 Bowers June 8, 1926 2,111,747 Bowers Mar. 22, 1938 2,169,745 Shipman Aug. 15, 1939 2,320,214 Bowers May 25, 1943 

